29 Nov 2007

NZ on visas for Fiji's National Council members

9:21 am on 29 November 2007

The New Zealand government will not impose any specific restrictions for the issuing of entry visas on Fiji citizens who join the interim administration's National Council for Building a Better Fiji.

Instead, those appointed to the National Council will undergo the same vetting as everyone else when applying for a visa.

Radio Legend reports that this has been revealed by the acting New Zealand high commissioner in Suva, Joanna Kempers.

Ms Kempers says the travel ban covers, among others, members of the Fiji military, as well as high profile coup supporters, their families and associates.

She says the test for whether people fall into these categories is the same for all Fiji citizens, whether or not they are members of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji.

Officials at the Australian high commission in Suva, when asked about the visa status of National Council members, said the question could not be answered at this stage because the new government had not been sworn in.